Reading the Primary Tea Leaves

Politics

Reading the Primary Tea Leaves

What’s going on: As midterms approach, the political landscape has been ablaze with Summer House reunion-level drama. That likely won’t end today, as pivotal congressional primary elections kick off in six states: California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota. A few races that have analysts on their toes: 

California: The race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has been full of scandal and surprise. Big-name Democrats like former VP Kamala Harris opted out, and then frontrunner and former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped off the ticket in disgrace. This left a crowded field of lesser-known Democrats — and a chance (albeit a small one) for Republicans to shut Dems out come November. There’s also the LA mayor's race, with Karen Bass (D) up against councilmember Nithya Raman (D) and The Hills antagonist (and registered Republican) Spencer Pratt — and there’s no clear frontrunner. In California, where Democrats usually win state elections, Pratt’s success bashing the current state administration captures larger Republican sentiment, some analysts say.

Iowa: The Democratic Senate primary in the Hawkeye state could serve as something of a bellwether for the direction of the party: Do voters prefer a moderate candidate like state Rep. Josh Turek, or a progressive railing against the establishment (aka, bashing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer) like state Sen. Zach Wahls? This race — plus excitement over gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand and an economy that’s harmed rural counties and farmers — has Iowa Dems hopeful they can finally pull a state that went red for President Donald Trump in the last three elections back towards the left.

The big picture: All these primaries are pieces of a large, complex puzzle. But what we’ve seen so far (with Trump-backed candidates easily winning primaries) won’t necessarily translate to November. For those Republicans to continue their win streaks in the general election, they’ll need non-MAGA voters — those who may also be turned off by skyrocketing gas prices and the war in Iran. Meanwhile, as Democrats fight to establish a new identity, what works in a state like Iowa may not work in New Jersey or New Mexico. But the push for fresh blood on both sides is obvious, particularly as incumbent members of Congress struggle to hold onto their seats. 

Related: Democrats Say They Have a Plan To Fight Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization” Fund (NBC)

The News in 5

🗞️ A number of Naval officers were up for promotion until Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth intervened. Guess which groups were most affected?

🗞️ There’s a plot twist in the battle for AI dominance as Anthropic files for an IPO. Wonder what Pope Leo will say about this.

🗞️ Democrats aren’t too happy with former First Lady Jill Biden’s new memoir, View From The East Wing. Talk about ripping off the Band-Aid.

🗞️ Florida became the first state to sue OpenAI in a lawsuit against the company and CEO Sam Altman, and the allegations are concerning.

🗞️ San Francisco’s mayor will do (almost) anything to secure the giant pandas. That’s one expensive pet project.

Somebody's Watching You

The Next Era of Corporate Surveillance? Emotion-Policing 

What’s going on: We’ve all shown up for work with a case of the Mondays — but at least we made it onto the Teams call, right? Soon, that might not be enough. As more companies turn to AI surveillance tools to track employees’ behavior and productivity, technology like MorphCast ups the ante. The software takes over a device’s camera and “watches” the user, and according to The Atlantic, offers creepy (but accurate) readings on a person’s expressions while in use. And it’s moving fast: MorphCast is already used to track moods on a mental health app, monitor whether or not students are paying attention in class, and can even check to see if McDonald’s customers in Portugal are in the mood for a coupon. The company says it can tell if you’re amused, impatient, bored, and more. There are some things even a perfect Zoom filter can’t hide. 

Soooo, more emotional labor?: Maybe. MorphCast could create yet another expectation that employees — especially women — stay cheerful on cue. That’s not great news when 98% of women in one study said someone has told them to smile more while on the job. And while women often report higher engagement at work, they also face higher burnout rates. Critics worry tools like this could make that gap worse. Plus, these AI quick fixes don’t always work as advertised (see: endless OpenAI lawsuits). And even with the camera off, other AI-driven applications like Aware can peek and evaluate all your messages for “sentiment and toxicity.” Big (AI) Brother may soon be watching 24/7 — but maybe our bosses will let us turn off the cameras.

Related: Soon, We’ll Have AI Without the WiFi (Reuters) 

Work

Stuck in the Middle

What’s going on: Sometimes, the career ladder looks more like monkey bars: a short climb followed by a long, flat plateau. A new study of 1.3 million professionals across industries shows that roughly 25% go at least five years without a promotion or significant raise before they reach their peak earning years. It supports the argument that the mid-career stall that many hit in their 30s and 40s is a systemic issue rather than a lack of motivation. In other words, it’s not us, it’s them. And while this isn’t uniquely a millennial problem, it’s hitting millennials harder than previous generations thanks to today’s abysmal job market — not to mention our rough start in the Great Recession. (Yes, you can forward this to your parents the next time they try to give you career advice.) 

Help, this is me: A systemic issue requires big-picture changes like normalizing sabbaticals, encouraging further education, and increasing opportunities for growth. Even if your boss is focused on profits over people, there are still things you can do to get out of a career rut. Specifically, gaining skills in an adjacent field, or simply framing talents you already have in a new way. “Hiring managers love candidates who show up with skills that apply across industries, like project ownership, data fluency, or customer success experience,” one CEO told Skimm+. Time for a resume refresh.

Related: Corporate America’s Moms Aren’t OK (Fast Company) 

Quick Hits

☀️ Research suggests one of the best solutions to America’s mental health crisis is right outside your front door… 

🍫 “Sexual chocolate” just got recalled for having a questionable undisclosed ingredient. We guess they did promise an aphrodisiac. 

💦 There’s an easy fix for one of your parents’ biggest pet peeves, but we don’t recommend telling them that. 

👖 Sophia Bush told theSkimm about her complicated feelings on the return of this polarizing pants trend, and you know what? We agree.

👽 Emily Blunt explained how she made those terrifying alien noises in Disclosure Day. AI could never. 

On Our Calendar

Tuesday, June 2

🏒 Stanley Cup final starts 

The Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights hit the ice at 8 pm ET — and coaches and industry execs are split on the winner.

🏝️ Love Island season 8 premieres 

The villa is ready — but one cast member has already been told to leave. 

🍿 Not Suitable For Work out on Hulu 

Mindy Kaling’s new series about a group of grads figuring out life — including bad bosses, dating mishaps, and an autobiographical connection. 

📚 New Ann Patchett book out 

Whistler by Ann Patchett hits bookshelves — and it’s already been named a best summer read.

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Skimm'd by: Marisa Iallonardo, Molly Longman, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Erika W. Smith, Jessica Prois, Marina Carver, and Kylie McConville. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.